Microphone Placement - It's A Free Way To Transform A Sound

You can spend a lot of money on a microphone, a pre-amp, converters, compressors and EQs to try and get a different or better sound - but there’s a free way to transform your sound and anyone can do it.

Move your microphone.

Microphone Placement

Simple as that, below are a number of recordings all done with the same guitar, a Taylor 414CE and with the same microphone in the same room. They were all recorded with an AKG414 through a UA4710D and with a Maag EQ2.

As you will hear, the sound changes a lot depending on where the microphone is, those who do this all the time will already know the huge difference mic placement makes, if you are new to recording then spend time trying different mic positions when recording anything.

Microphone Placement In A Home Studio

If you have a home studio then use a pair of headphones as you move the microphone around. In the case of an acoustic guitar, put a strap on and then walk around the microphone as you play. You might also want to try a few takes with the microphone in a different position and then listen to check which one works best in the track.